I was deeply moved and angered by the recent murder of Cecil the lion this summer by a heartless hunter who paid to have him lured out of a preserve so he could shoot him with a bow and arrow. Cecil fled after being shot and it took the hunting team 40 hrs. to locate his body… Cecil lay suffering for countless hours. Game hunting continues as a major tourist attraction for many countries and a profitable hobby for the wealthy.

This print was done in honor of Cecil and all of the animals who lost their lives and who will lose their lives in order to feed the ego of man. The quote on the print is from Henry Beston and it reads:

“For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings: they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”

Hopefully Cecil’s death will not be in vain. Because of his death the issue of game hunting was brought into the forefront. I can only hope and pray the outrage will continue until the beautiful and pure creatures of this world are safe.

Brilliant, misunderstood, mysterious and mythic. Moving through this world with bravery and a straightforward acceptance of his surroundings; simultaneously straddling between the world of man and the realm of the spirit. Meet “Corvus.”

Fancy words aside, ravens and crows are such incredible beings on this earth. Scientists are just scratching the surface in unlocking the mysteries of their minds and abilities. Sharing the world with them is an honor.

“I am Raven. I am black as liquid night with wings and my eyes are stars to see by.” ― H. Raven Rose, Liquid Me: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

This print was made in honor of all the dogs and families who have suffered because of BSL or Breed Specific Legislation. Certain municipal governments have banned certain dog breeds from living within their borders. As a result beloved innocent family pets have been taken from their homes and euthanized simply because they are of a certain breed. There are heartbreaking stories too sad to tell.

I have a wonderfully sensitive, goofy and adorable Doberman Pinscher/Rottweiler mix named Anne as part of my family. She is my hero.

The real criminals are the humans who abuse these innocent creatures. If you see or are aware of any animal abuse, please contact the authorities. Animals are truly at the mercy of humans. Please be their protector.

I live in Pennsylvania. While we don’t get the worst winter weather in the country (I can only think of those poor folks in New England right now) we get our fair share of trying winter conditions. If you have anything that needs to be done outside it takes a fair amount of fortitude to get yourself out there. Whether its driving (a terrifying experience) or barn work (in my case caring for two horses) sometimes one has to just “plow through.” My husband says that to live in this area people have to “have a lot of bark on them.” As in tree bark. Same thing as a tough skin. So I decided I’d showcase Wallace. Obviously “Wallace With The Snowy Nose” spends a fair amount of time out in the elements. Although he’s all dressed up with some place to go he still can’t erase all the evidence of his true nature. At this time of year those of us who must deal with winter weather can hope a little of Wallace can be with us all.

To me “Claudette” radiates beauty and intelligence. If you take the time to really look at her you’ll see that there’s a certain calming grace in her gaze. Forget the stereotype. I pass a farm on my way to work where a few souls sort of like Claudette live. I always look for them. Sometimes I even get to see the sweet little ones. I find them running all over the place… in this field or that. Once there was a mom and her piglets on the side of the road on their way to someplace special. I stopped the car, anxiously fumbling for my iPod, hoping to get a really great shot… and I kid you not…I must have caught her off guard because she actually did a triple-take. It was priceless. Her reaction couldn’t have been more human. Realizing she wasn’t alone and having a litter to care for she ran for a safer field knowing her little ones would scurry behind.

Being a vegetarian, I have to look at the world through rose-colored glasses sometimes. With a need to appreciate the moment I had to forget the obvious. Why this particular momma was there and the fate of her babes was a reality I had to try to put in the back of my mind temporarily. Very temporarily. I suppose this particular pig and her piglets were “lucky” to have lived on a farm in the country where they were free to roam instead of the appalling conditions of commercial pig farms. But in reality, their fate is determined by the farmer.

This is partly the reason for my particular chosen art form. Human, Animal… Animal, Human… we have more in common than most people want to believe.

“She wanted a hat like no other. She chose the Sombrero Galaxy located in the Virgo constellation.”

Once in a while I dabble in non-animal art. The freedom of mixed media collage is sometimes invigorating (if not exhausting)! My husband is a science-minded fellow who is always watching shows about space. I’d like to say some of this knowledge is rubbing off on me but my mind doesn’t seem to retain scientific information. Instead, my mind thinks of things like this. It’s quite a hat, eh?

This fashion forward lady is located on my other Etsy shop, “Eahkee Arts.” If you click on the pic it will take you to this little beauty in my store. This shop allows me to get a little nuts with color and create a little “outsider universe.”

It’s that time of year again. Oh, yes… whether you are looking forward to it or dreading it… Christmas is just around the corner. I was thinking about the holidays of today compared to the holidays of yesteryear. Today we are so bombarded with holiday imagery. From the television to the internet the competition to buy this or make that is an unyielding and exhausting constant in our lives. And don’t get me started with images of homes decorated with such artistry and boldness that I shiver and quake with complete and total sense of failure. When I see these homes all I can think of is one word: EXHAUSTION. How do they do it? And the clean-up. It was always New Year’s day that we took down our tree and decorations. That was a tough day. No happy holiday fervor that was felt when we were decorating FOR Christmas. It was just plain old un-decorating and packing for another year. So, anyhoo… Here’s Kit. Whether she’s decorating or un-decorating … she’s awfully cute.